Gallien-Krueger 212SC

70's issue, I think...yes Gallien Kruger used to make guitar amps too! I was surprised to discover that, but this amp is a screamer! It features two channels, both with pleanty of gain, and 3-pot EQ, one channel features an extra bright swith, while the other features an extra "dirty" circuit, and reverb is also available via a footswitch.

I play a mix of musical styles, skadelic, surfaweirdelic, hard rock, etc...and it gives a great mix of clean, raw, and reverbed sounds, and when mixed with my custom pedal board, just the live sound I need!

It has a "contour" circuit which has been nothing but a headache, creating loud pops and other noises. There is a four button footswitch that featured a/b swithcing, Reverb and Countour, but I removed the Contour switch. The A/B switching is actually very cool, as GK supplied two switches, so that both channels can be simultaneously used!

There is an effects loop for each channel and a record out, which I havent used. I prefer to mic intruments for recording. It features twin Celestion 12" speakers, and overall it's a great amp, but I wish it had tremolo. I have added "tilt-back" legs and a cooling fan, as I have already blown the output transistors once. This amp plays extremely loud, and I wish it didnt have a limiter on it!

This all solid-state amp is very heavy, and built into a hefty 1" particle wood cabinet, I wish they'd put side handles on it, as it is SO heavy!

I use a strat with both humbuckers and single coil pickups, and a Silvertone with a Fender bolt-on neck with a single-coil pickup. The Silvertone has been modified and has no gain or EQ. I use a Morley chorus-volume for completely noise-free gain, and the GK has 4-pot EQ on each channel, allowing me to dial in just waht I need.

The GK is a very clean amp, save for possible RF or other noises present in a places system.

With the variety of EQ available, the amp can get very versitile sounds from a whisper to a roar, and some great feedback too. Fortunately the limiter allows for feedback!

The only distortion I have experienced is planned distortion, and bandmates usally ask that I turn down the amp. The added tilt-back legs help kick the sound up and out too; I hightly recommend them!

After I blew the output transistors, I wondered about reliability! I now keep those fan-cooled. Playing without a backup is never a good idea!

I like this GK212SC, and might be hard pressed to find another one, but, yeah, I'd get another one! I have seen a single 12 GK guitar amp too. The 212SC has an output for a 2nd speaker, and I could build one, tho I'd like to find a GK ext speaker.

I have played through Fender, Crate, and Peavy amps, and I much prefer the GK. Fender amps always seemed too "tinny" to me, and Peavy amps are okay, but also lacked something, and Crate amps are okay, but the GK has a lot of "punch and crunch". I use a mix of generic, Morley, DOD, Ibenez, and MXR pedals, but don't use a distortion pedal, because the GK has such a great crunch sound!